Other Litter Cleaning/Monitoring concepts (not from me)

In recent years the topic has brought various interesting concepts to date. Some deal with cleaning oil spills others aim to free the ocean from debris or litter from large to small. Following a selection of concepts and links to its source. Disclaimer: I was not involved in those projects nor do I have any (e.g. financial) interests, aside learning from and sharing them, in them.

Designer: James Dyson, UK, 2014"The floating barge first captures the trash in a large net, before it's then sucked inside and processed and separated by type of plastic. It's just a concept right now, but Dyson is hopeful that it could be turned into a useful tool for keeping waters clean. It may not be designed for oceans, but by sifting through rivers it could help reduce the amount of plastic that's fed into our oceans to create problems like the Great Pacific garbage patch. "Recyclone could tackle a concentrated stream of plastic," he wrote in Time last month, "catching it before it spreads."... read more: www.theverge.compicture from: www.theverge.com

Designer: Stefan Djerkic, Canada, 2014"SHORVAC is an environmentally sensitive robotic vacuum cleaner that assists cleaning specialists with the task of removing unwanted debris along coastal environments. The purpose of this product is to help protect wildlife and the environment by removing items that are considered hazardous. Composed of a sifting shovel and a robotic hexapod vacuum cleaner, it is an innovative solution that improves the cleaning process of small discarded items that are difficult to access and remove with conventional beach cleaning equipment. The hexapod design of the vacuum unit makes the product mobile without disturbing the environment which facilitates and accelerates the cleaning process..." read more: www.jamedysonaward.orgpicture from: www.jamedysonaward.org

Designer: Sung Jin Cho, South Korea, 2014"Seawer proposes to install a huge drainage hole 550 meters in diameter and 300 meters in depth in the middle of the GPGP. The project would engulf all kinds of floating trash filled with seawater. Seawer consists of five layers of baleen filters, which separate particles and fluids. The plastic particles collected from filters are taken to a recycling plant atop of the structure while seawater is filtered and stored in a large sedimentation tank at the bottom to be further cleaned and released into the ocean.." read more: www.evolo.uspicture from: www.inhabitat.com

"An elaborate system that aims at cleaning up the world’s oceans and constantly monitor them. The Eco-Mobile Robot is one of the most extensive and intricate concepts ever designed to clean up the oceans of the planet, and it is filled with green goodness. The huge floating decks are much like oil rigs in design but totally opposite in nature. They clean up the oceans by sucking up toxic and plastic waste and releasing the non-toxic saline water back into the sea. The technology is integrated with a network of satellites across the globe that monitor and signal the areas that require immediate attention." read more: www.ecofriend.com

Designer: Hsu Sean"The system uses biosensor technology to track the flow of oil and follows the spill while simultaneously releasing bacteria to degrade the pollutant, thereby streamlining the cleanup process and preventing the pollution from spreading further. During the entire process, the device transmits high frequency acoustic waves that discourage fish and other animals from entering the polluted area."read more: www.yankodesign.com

Designer: Erik Borg"To help preserve wildlife and the environment, the Oceanic Cleaning System uses solar power and automated satellite units to seek out and capture plastic particles and man-made waste. Inspired by cuttlefish, the satellites use lateral fins to maneuver through the water, collecting plastic and other debris. After waste is collected, the units navigate back to the base where it is deposited and sorted for recycling."read more: www.yankodesign.com

Desinger Elie Ahovi et.al. "France-based industrial design student Elie Ahovi's Marine Drone concept would start the arduous task of cleaning up waterborne garbage. Developed with fellow French International School of Design classmates Adrien Lefebvre, Philomene Lambaere, Marion Wipliez, Quentin Sorel, and Benjamin Lemoal, the Drone would patrol the oceans autonomously, sucking plastic bottles and garbage into its maw like a butterfly net. A sonic emitter would send out an irritating signal to deter aquatic life, ensuring that only trash goes in. The Drone would then dock with a nearby mothership, where a crew would crane the garbage up for collection.It's a great concept, and we'd love to see it tested out closer to land first; for starters, they could use a couple of these to clean up New York's East River. Sure, the thing would occasionally get clogged with cement-shoe-wearing mob informants, but better to work the kinks out here before setting up the deep-sea-going mothership." read more: www.core77.com